Hanoi shuts bars and karaoke parlors in latest Covid-19 response

The Hanoi People's Committee announced the decision at a meeting on the latest Covid-19 outbreak Sunday afternoon.

All eateries are required to disinfect their space regularly, arrange seats to ensure social distancing and ask all staff to wear masks.

Residents have to limit gathering in crowds when it is not necessary. Those organizing events must strictly ensure preventive measures.

The city authorities have emphasized that people should limit organizing festive activities amid the latest outbreak that has aroused concerns that it is a rapidly spreading variant of the novel coronavirus.

Shops are empty in Hanoi's famous Ta Hien beer street. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh.

Related agencies should guide the community and ensure that people follow preventive measures, notably the five-point message: wearing face masks, frequent disinfection, maintaining a safe distance, refraining from gathering, and making health declarations.

People who traveled from Hai Duong Province's Chi Linh Town from January 1 and Quang Ninh's Van Don International Airport from January 5 will be tested for the novel coronavirus. Hanoi has estimated that around 20,000 people have come in from the Covid-19 hotspots of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh.

Employees of the Noi Bai International Airport related in any way to the Covid-19 cases in Van Don Airport will also be tested.

The capital city, which has so far recorded 13 Covid-19 community transmissions in the latest outbreak, has decided to allow more than 2 million students from kindergartens to high schools to start their Lunar New Year holiday on February 1, a week earlier than scheduled.

Hanoi authorities had previously said if the Covid-19 outbreak turned complicated, all festivals and events for Tet would be canceled. Hanoi is less than two hours from Hai Duong, the northern province that is currently the biggest hotspot with 188 cases, and a major transport link to northern localities.

The latest Covid-19 wave with 238 community transmissions in the last four days has come right before the Lunar New Year (Tet), Vietnam's biggest holiday which peaks on February 12 this year.

Vietnam has registered 1,817 cases and 35 deaths so far.